Buckle



- W. P. OSBORNE.

BUCKLE.

"No; 538,929; Patented May 7, 1895.

VVILBUR FISK OSBORNE, OF ANSONIA, CONNECTICUT.

BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 538,929, dated May '7, 1895. Application filed June 18, 1894. Serialllo. 514,921. (No model.)

f0 all whom 231'; may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILBUR FIsK OSBORNE, of Ansoni-a, in the county .of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement in Buckles; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in-

Figure 1, a view in front elevation of one form which a buckle constructed in accordance with my invention may assume; Fig. 2, a view thereof in vertical central section; Fig. 3, a detached View, in front elevation, of the tubular sheet-metal body of this buckle; Fig. 4, a view thereof in vertical section on theline a b of Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a view in front elevation of one of the modified forms which the buckle may assume; Fig. 6,aview in vertical central section of the construction shown by'the preceding figure.

' My invention relates toan improvement in that class of buckles known as tubular buckles on account of their construction with a tubular or substantially tubular sheetmetal frame or body through which the webbing passes, the object being to produce at a comparatively low cost for manu facture a simple, convenient and effective buckle of the type described.

With these ends in View, my invention consists in abuckle havingatubularsheet-metal body, a hook pivotally applied thereto and constructed at its upper end, which enters the body with atoothed clamping edge,whieh grips the web, and a pivotal retaining-piece co operating with the pivotal hook to retain the ring of the Suspender-end therein.

Myinvention further consists in certain details of construction and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the pivotal retaining-piece consists of a wire loop A, adapted at its lower end to be sprung over the hook B of the buckle, and constructed at its upper end with two corresponding op positely projecting trunnions A A, which have bearing within the tubular sheet-metal buckle-body C, in horizontal seats C C located in line with each other, parallel with the upper and lower edges of the said body, and formed therein by striking the front of the body outward from its inner face. A tapering passage C formed in the center of the front of the said body, affords access to the said seats, the inner edges of which are cut away, as at c c, to accommodate the shank A of the retaining-piece. Under the construction described, the retaining-piece, which is thus pivotally connected with the buckle body at a point above the hook B, may be applied and removed at convenience. This feature of removal is particularly advantageous, as it permits the convenient plating and finishing of the body and hook, for which purpose the retaining-piece is removed. The hook B is made of sheet metal, and constructed at its upper end with an inwardly turned toothed gripping edge B, which enters the body of the buckle, through a long, narrow, horizontal slot C formed in the front thereof, the ends of the said edge terminating in trunnions b b, by means of which the hook is pivotally connected with the buckle body in the well known manner. It will be understood that the lowerendof the wire retaining-piece A is shaped so as to close the hook when it is snapped over the same, so as to prevent the accidental escape of the Suspender-end ring from the hook.

In the construction shown by Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings, the retaining-piece D is formed of sheet-metal, and has a large central open ing D, adapting it to fit over the sheet-metal hook E, and constructed at its upper end with an inwardly turned retaining edge D which passes through a long, narrow, horizontal slot F, formed in the front of the tubular sheetmetal buckle body F, and parallel with a similar but shorter slot F formed at a lower point therein to receive the inwardly turned toothed upper gripping edge E of the hook E before mentioned. The ends of the inwardly turned upper edges of both the loop and the hook are constructed with trunnions or extensions, which bear against the inner face of the front of the buckle-body with which the said parts are thus pivotally connected. It will be understood that the lower end of the retaining-piece is shaped to form a shoulder, which, when the retaining-piece is in place, stands above the ring of the suspender-end so as to prevent its escape from the hook.

A buckle constructed in accordance with my invention may be produced at a comparatively low cost, and is convenient, effective and attractive.

By connecting the retaining-piece with the body of the buckle, instead of locating it upon the book itself, I am enabled to markedly strengthen and reinforce the hook; for it will be observed, by reference to the drawings, that when the hook and retaining-piece arein their normal or vertical positions, the lower end of the retaining-piece extends under the lower end of the hook in such away as to support the same, and so that the book has virtually a double connection with the body of the buckle. I regard this point as particularly important, as there is a heavy strain upon the hook which, as ordinarily constructed, is the weak point of a buckle. Obviously, a retaining-piece applied to the book itself could not have the same function of reinforcing it, for a retainingpiece applied to the hook would draw from the hook. Another advantage which I secure by connecting the retaining-piece with the body of the buckle, instead of the hook, is the opportunity of using a retaining-piece sufficiently long to spring enough and with sufficient ease, to make the device easy of operation. Obviously, a re taining-piece pivoted to the hook itself is limited in length by the length of the hook, and being short, must be less elastic and more difficult to spring. Furthermore, by attaching the retaining-piece to the body of the buckle, I am enabled to apply it so that it may be readily removed, for nickeling or otherwise plating and finishing the body. In this way I secure such convenience and facility of handling the parts that I materially reduce the expense of producing the buckle. On the other hand, if the retaining-piece is applied to the hook, it must be connected therewith below the lower edge of the body of the buckle; which makes the piece very short unless an additional part of metal is applied to the face of the hook so as to clear the same, in such a manner as to form journals for the trnnnions of the piece; which in that case cannot readily be removed for the purpose of plating and finishing the hook. Obviously the details of its construction may be considerably varied, and I would therefore have it understood that I do not limit myself to the exact construction herein shown and described, but hold myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

I am aware that it is not new to provide a tubular sheet-metal buckle with a pivotal hook, having a spring tongue for preventing the ring of the suspender-end from escaping from the said hook, and I do not claim such a construction broadly.

I am also aware that it is old to provide a wire buckle having a rigid hook depending from its body, with a pivotal retaining-piece swung from the body, and co-operating with the said hook. I do not therefore claim the provision of a bucklebody with a pivotal retaining-piece.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a buckle for personal wear, the combination with a tubular sheet-metal body having its front wall constructed with a long slot, of a hook having its upper end constructed with an inwardly turned gripping edge, which projects into the body through the said slot formed in the front wall thereof, and which is pivotally connected with the body by trunnions formed at the ends of its said edge; and a retaining piece coacting with the hook to retain the suspender-end in connection therewith, and extending below and embracing the hook to afiord support therefor, and pivotally connected at its upper end with the front of the said tubular body at a point above the slot therein,and therefore at a point above the pivotal connection of the hook therewith, substantially as described and whereby,by the pivotal connection, one above the other, of the hook and retaining device, with the front of the tubular body, the said retaining device is causedto lift against the lower end of the hook and be tightened thereon, when the hook and device are swung into theirnormal or vertical positions.

2. In a buckle for personal wear, the combination with a tubular sheet-metal body, of a hook adapted at its lower end to have a suspender-end connected with it, and constructed at its upper end with an inwardly turned gripping edge which projects into the said body with which the hook is pivotally connected by the ends of the said edge; and a removable wire retaining-piece constructed at its lower end with a loop which coacts with the hook to close the same, and which extends below and embraces the hook to afford a support therefor, and is constructed at its upper end with oppositely extending horizontal trunnions pivotally engaged with the front portion of the sheet-metal body at a point above the pivotal connection of the upper end of the hook therewith, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILBUR FISK OSBORNE.- Witnesses:

WILLIAM HALSE, ALTON T. TERRELL. 

